Yielding roll.



(. A. LAWRENCE.

YIELDING HOLL.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 5. 1914.

Patented July 3, 1917.

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@NTE STATES PATENT llilllilllG.

GEORGE A. LAWRENCE, or wonunn, MASSACHUSETTS.

YTELDING ROLL.

Application filed January 5, 1914.

To all whom t may concern."

Be it known that I, GEORGE A. LAWRENCE, a citizen of the United States,and resident of Xoburn, in the county of Middlesex and State ofMassachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inYielding Rolls, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to yielding rolls, and embodies certainnew features of structure whereby the working surface of a roll may besupported so as to yield transversely of the axis of the roll andwhereby the yielding element may be used to transmit rotation to theworking surface. Yielding rolls are commonly used in leather-workingmachines, and the present invention as illustrated is embodied in a rollsuitable for a leather-working machine, such for instance as used forileshing or unhairing, but the invention is not limited to any specificuse.

Of the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 represents a longitudinal section of a roll embodying thisinvention, a portion of the roll being broken out.

F ig. 2 represents a cross section of the. roll.

Fig. 3 represents a view similar to Fig. 1, showing the yieldingelements formed helically. A cross section of this form would be likeFig. 2.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts wherever theyoccur.

Referring rst to Fig. `1, the roll is shown as being mounted upon ashaft 10. A core or sleeve 11 is fixed upon the shaft by any suitablemeans (not shown). These constitute what may be regarded as the innermember of the roll and may be formed separately or integrally asdesired. A plurality of rings 12 of any suitable material, such asbrass, surround the core l1 and are supported by yielding means which asshown comprise a plurality of separate members 13. These yieldingmembers are preferably of tubular form and are adapted to be inflated.They are preferably made of rubber and are connected with each other sothat the pressure in them will be equalized.

The rings 12 are movable relatively to each. Othel" .lil-31151733.5157il@ lil@ @is 0f the Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Tully 3, 191'?.

serial No. 810,293.

roll, and as they are supported exclusively by the yielding elements 13some of the rings may be displaced more than others by pressure againstthe periphery of the roll, the independent movement of the ringsenabling the periphery of the roll to conform to irregularities in thework or other article which is brought to bear against the roll. Therings are surrounded, if desired, by a tubular cover of pliant material14, such as rubber, which may be reinforced by woven fabric-if desired.The rubber may be vulcanized to the rings if desired, and the rings andcover constitute an outer member which, as will be subsequentlyexplained, is internally grooved longitudinally to receive thelongitudinally arranged air tubes. The rings 12 are confined between endplates or headers 15 and 16 and these plates are confined by collars 17secured upon the shaft by setscrews 1S. An annular disk 19 is interposedbetween the plate 16 and the adjacent collar 17; and rings 20 of packingmaterial, such as rubber, are interposed between the plate 16 and disk19.l rThe members 16 and 19 are connected by screws 21 which draw themtogether against the rings 20 to form airtight joints. An annular space22 is left. between the 'rings 20, which space is provided to formcommunication between the several pneumatic tubes 13 to equalize thepressure in said tubes. The plate 16 is provided with a circular seriesof nipples 23 which are bored as indicated at 211 to provide portscommunicating with the annular chamber 22. One end of each pneumatictube is arranged upon a nipple 23, the oints thereof being airtight. Theplate 15 is likewise provided with nipples, which are indicated at Theother end of each pneumatic tube, with one exception, is arranged uponone of the nipples 25 and made tight thereon, the nipples acting asclosures for the ends of the tubes. The one exception is the tube whichis shown at the top of F ig. 1. This tube has a bushing 26 through whichan inflat-ing tube 27 extends. Compressed air flowing into thispneumatic tube through the inflating tube passes out from the other endof the rubber tube through the bore 211 and into the .annular chamber 22is distrib# uted to the other tubes 13 so as to inflate all thepneumatic tubes to the same pressure. The tube 27 is connected with theshaft 10 to receive compressed air from a conduit 28 bored in the shaft.The shaft is provided with a screw-threaded socket 29 to receive apressure-retaining valve or a connection whereby the pneumatic tubes maybe connected with a source of compressed air.

As shown by Fig. 2, the core 11 has a series of radial projections 30which are arranged between the pneumatic tubes 13. These projections areelongated and constitute ribs. Each ring 12 has a series of radialprojections 31 which are likewise arranged between the pneumatic tubes,sufficient space being left between the radial projections of the coreand of the rings to receive the pneumatic tubes and leave slightclearance. These projections and ribs constitute means for interlocking`the outer member (in this case the plurality of rings) and the core orinner member with the pneumatic cushioning devices or tubes. If theshaft 10 be rotated, rotation will be transmitted by the radialprojections of the core to the radial projections of the rings 12through the pneumatic tubes 13, thus using the pneumatic tubes to effecta yielding drive of the working surface, as well as to permit theworking surface to yield transversely of the axis of the roll. 'Ihe ribs31 0f the outer member extend into the grooves of the core or innermember, and the ribs 30 of the inner member extend into the grooves ofthev outer member. If the roll be driven in the reverse direction, theribs of one member will impart a rotative thrust upon the ribs of theother member, and yet the air tubes will permit the outer member toyield transversely of the axis of the inner member.

The plate 15 is supported by a ring 32 of yielding material, such asrubber, carried by the shaft, and the plates 16 and 19 are supported bya ring 33 of similar yielding material. The ends of the core 11 wherethey are lapped by the nipples 23 and 25 are reduced in diameter, andbuilt up by rings 3&1 of yielding material. The several rings ofyielding material enable the plates to yield transversely with relationto the shaft in consequence of pressure against the roll, near the endsthereof. The yielding of the plates enables the rings 12 which surroundthe nipples 23 and 25 to yield sufiiciently, whereas if the plates wererigidly supported by the shaft the nipples would restrict the range ofyielding movement of the surrounding rings 12.

As shown by Fig. 3, the pneumatic tubes 13 are formed helically and theradial projections of the core and of the rings 12 are likewise formed.In all other vrespects the structurefof the form'shown by Fig. 3 is thesame-as that shown by Fig. 1. `1 arnlthe first, so far as I am aware, tohave embodied in a yielding roll a. construction whereby the yieldingpneumatic means which supports the working surface of the roll servesalso to transmit rotation nonfrictionally from the center of the roll tothe periphery, and I contemplate claiming this feature as broadly aspossible without limiting the pneumatic yielding element or elements toany particular form excepting where limitations are expressed. I believeI am also the first to have provided a yielding roll with one or morepneumatic tubes extending endwise of the roll and also to provide aplurality of such tubes connected with each other so thattheir internalpressure is equalized.

I claim:

l. A yielding roll comprising a core, a series of expansible pneumatictubes upon said core and extending endwise thereof, means connectingsaid tubes for equalizing the pressure therein, a series of relativelymovable rings surrounding and bearing upon said tubes, said core andsaid rings having radial projections arranged between said tubes fortransmitting and Areceiving rotation through said tubes, and a tubularcover of pliant material upon said rings.

2. A yielding roll comprising a core, a series of expansible pneumatictubes upon said core and extending endwise thereof, said tubes beingclosed atene end and connected at the other end'to equalize the pressuretherein, a series of relatively movable rings surrounding and bearingupon said tubes, said core and rings having projections arranged betweensaid tubes, and a tubular cover of pliant material upon said tubes.

3. A yielding roll comprising a core, a

series of rings surrounding said core, said.

rings being movable relatively to each other transversely of the axis ofthe roll and pneumatic yielding means arranged between and engaging theperiphery of said core and the interior walls of said rings foryieldingly supporting said rings, said core and rings having projectionsalso engaging` said pneumatic yielding means whereby rotation istransmitted from said core to said rings through said pneumatic yieldingmeans.

4. A yielding roll comprising a horizontally grooved core, an outermember surrounding said core, and a plurality of compressible pneumatictubes arranged in the grooves of said core and located between said coreand outer member to support said outer member, and means connecting saidtubes for equalizing the pressure therein.

5. A yielding roll comprising a plurality of substantially annularsections arranged side by side and movable relatively to each othertransversely of lthe'axis of the roll,

a core extending through said sections, a plurality of compressiblepneumatic tubes extending longitudinally of the roll between said coreand sections for supporting said sections, and means connecting saidtubes for equalizing the pressure therein.

6. A yielding roll comprising an inner member, an outer member, aplurality of pneumatic tubes between said members and extendinglongitudinally thereof, and a header at the one end of said membershaving nipples enga-ged with said tubes.

7. A yielding roll comprising a shaft, an inner member thereon, an outermember, a plurality. of pneumatic tubes between the inner member and theouter member, means for interlocking said members with said tubes, and aheader on said shaft having nipples engaging the ends of said tubes.

8. A yielding roll comprising a shaft, a member fast on said shaft, anouter member, a plurality of pneumatic tubes between said members, meansfor interlocking said members with said tubes, whereby the rotation ofone of said members eects the rotation of the other member through themedium of said tubes, headers at the ends of said members, means forconnecting said tubes with one of said headers, means for introducingair into said tubes, and means for equalizing the air pressure saidtubes.

9. A yielding roll comprising a core, an outer member surrounding thecore, compressible tubular means arranged between said core and saidouter member and yieldingly supporting said outer member, and means forinterlocking said core and said member with said tubular means, wherebyrotation may be transmitted uniformly from the core to the outer member.

10. A yielding roll comprising a core, an outer member, and pneumaticmeans between said core and outer member for yieldingly supporting andsustaining said outer member, said pneumatic means comprising aplurality of helical tubes.

11. A yielding roll comprising an inner member, a substantially annularouter member surrounding said inner member, and pneumatic meanssupported by said inner member for supporting said outer member, saidpneumatic means being interlocked with said members to transmit rotationfrom one of said members to the other.

12. A yielding roll comprising inner and outer elements, said outerelement being substantially annular and having a yielding workingperiphery, pneumatic means Carried by said inner element for supportingsaid outer element, and means for interlocking the outer and innerelements with said pneumatic means, whereby said pneumatic meanstransmits rotation from one of Said elements to the other.

13. A yielding roll comprising two end disks one at each end, yieldingmeans supporting said disks to permit movement thereof transversely ofthe axis, a series of annular members arranged side by side between saiddisks, a core within said annular members, and a plurality ofcompressible pneumatic tubes extending longitudinally through saidannular members and carried by said core for supporting said annularmembers, said annular members being movable independently transverselyof said axis.

14:. A yielding roll comprising two end disks one at each end, yieldingmeans supporting said disks topermit movement thereof transversely ofthe axis, a series of annular members arranged side by side between saiddisks, a core within said annular members, a plurality of compressiblepneumatic tubes extending longitudinally through said annular membersand carried by said core for supporting said annular members, and moansconnecting said tubular members for equalizing the pressure therein.

15. A yielding roll comprising a longitudinally-grooved core, an outerloiigitudinally-grooved member, pneumatic tubes arranged in the groovesof said core and said member to support the outer member yieldingly,means for connecting the tubes, and means by which air may be suppliedto said tubes.

16. A yielding roll comprising a core having a plurality of longitudinalribs, an outer member having a plurality of grooves, -said ribsprojecting into said grooves, and a plurality of compressible pneumatictubes arranged between said core and .said outer member for yieldinglysupporting said outer member.

17. A yielding roll comprising a core having a plurality of longitudinalribs, an outer member having a plurality of grooves, said ribsprojecting into said grooves, a plurality of compressible pneumatictubes arranged between said core and said outer member for yieldinglysupporting said outer member, and means for connecting said tubes toequalize the pressure therein.

18. A yielding roll comprising a longitudinally and internally groovedouter member, a plurality of pneumatic tubes arranged in the grooves ofthe outer member, an inner member grooved to receive said tubes, saidinner member having an air passage, and means for conducting air fromsaid air passage to said tubes.

19. A yielding roll comprising a longitudinally and internally groovedouter member, a plurality of pneumatic tubes arranged in the grooves ofthe outer member, an inner member grooved to receive said tubes, andprojecting at its ends beyond the outer member whereby it may bejouinaled in bearings, said inner member In testimony whereof lI haveaiXed my belno longitudinali O'rooved to receive said signature 1nresence oit' tWo Witnesses.

b r: an :n Y 7 tubes, and having an aii1 passage extending GEORGE A.LAVRENCE. through one of said ends to receive Com- Witnesses:

5 pressed air, and means connecting said air EDWARD JOHNSON,

passage with said tubes. HAROLD P. JOHNSON.

Copies'of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). C.

